Politics
Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer Died Sunday, Family Announces
Dennis Deer (WTTW News)
Dennis Deer, who represented the 2nd District on the Cook County Board of Commissioners since 2017, has died.
Deer’s family announced his passing on social media Sunday. He was 51 years old. In a statement, Board President Toni Preckwinkle called her colleague “a fierce champion of equity in every space he entered.”
“Dennis brought his intellect, wisdom, passion, advocacy and faith everywhere he went,” Preckwinkle said in a statement. “I will miss him greatly. I extend my heart and prayers to the entire Deer family during this truly difficult time.”
Deer was born and raised on the West Side, where he continued to live with his wife and raise his three children.
(Commissioner Dennis Deer / Facebook)
He was appointed to the board in 2017 following the death of his predecessor and friend Robert Steele. He was then elected to the seat the following year. In running for re-election a second time in 2022, Deer told WTTW News he had a “deep and abiding commitment to the residents of the Cook County area.”
“My priorities always have been equity: Equity in public safety, equity in economic development and equity in health care, including mental health,” he said.
In addition to serving on the board, Deer also worked as a psychological clinician.
Seventeenth District Commissioner Sean Morrison called Deer a “man of faith, principle and service.”
“Human beings came first for him, not politics,” Morrison said in a social media post. “A very admirable quality Dennis exhibited consistently on the county board.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who served alongside Deer on the board from 2018 to 2023, said his former colleague’s passing is “a devastating loss for our city and county.”
“Dennis was a beacon of hope and compassion who fulfilled a mission of improving healthcare, education and economic opportunities for every resident he served,” Johnson said in a statement. “A tireless advocate for the underserved and underrepresented, he was a champion for people, with an unwavering commitment and genuine love for a district that spanned the Loop, Englewood and the West Side of Chicago.”
